What does a normal workday in Japan look like

📍Vlad, Fukuoka

Works on a Japanese project building a structured database of human history to help society reflect, learn, and grow.

I work fully remotely, and everyone in my company does too, so my whole commute is basically just opening my laptop and making some tea.

We do not have a strict schedule, so I usually start around 9–10 a.m. and work until about 7 p.m. The day is flexible enough that I can easily step out to the store in the middle of it if I need to.

I work on several audio podcast platforms, maintaining them and building new features. I was originally hired more as a frontend developer, but because I have a lot of full-stack experience, I now handle both frontend and backend tasks for these projects.

I work on them independently, so I am responsible for the full cycle: designing and implementing new features, fixing bugs, and handling support questions when they come up.

We do not have daily standups. The only regular meeting is a weekly sync, plus sometimes one or two extra meetings during the week if there is something specific to discuss. Overall, the work moves at a steady pace, and there is usually enough time for everything.

I also have a lot of freedom when it comes to decisions — technologies, approaches, and implementation. If needed, I discuss things with the leads, but overall there is a high level of trust and autonomy.

My company probably does not match many of the usual stereotypes about working in Japan, and I actually like that. It really does not fit the image of endless overtime, extreme formality, and rigid hierarchy. Even company gatherings feel different from the classic nomikai stereotype — no one gets drunk, and the atmosphere stays relaxed.

It is a small team of a little over 30 people, but the backgrounds are incredibly diverse. People live all across Japan, and many have international experience, so the atmosphere feels open-minded and very natural.

In my team, all communication happens in English, which makes work comfortable, even if it slows down my Japanese a bit. We also have quarterly in-person meetups, usually in Tokyo, and those are always a great chance to talk to everyone face-to-face.

What I value most is how low-stress this job feels. After 10 years in outsourcing and big tech, I have almost forgotten what life without overtime and crunch feels like. I definitely have more time for life now, and the pace of life itself feels slower too. In a way, I have started to relate a little more to the mood of Perfect Days — and honestly, I am perfectly fine with that.

📍Aziza, Izumo

Works at an IT and communication agency focused on translation, IR tools, website development, and bilingual disclosure support.

I work from the office, and my official schedule is from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. In practice, I usually stay in the office until around 4 p.m. and finish the rest of the day from home. So it feels a bit like hybrid work, even though I still need to go to the office every day.

My commute used to be much longer. The old office was about 30 minutes away by bus, and sometimes 40–50 minutes in heavy snow. But thankfully we moved to a new office, and now it is only a 5-minute walk.

I am the only developer in the company — actually, the only person in the entire IT department. The company works on translating documents from Japanese into English, often for external markets, foreign investors, and required reports. I work on a recently launched website where part of that process has been automated.

We have daily meetings, but I mostly just listen. Every evening I write a short report on what I completed that day, and once a week I give a demo if there is something ready to show. There are quite a lot of tasks, and the process is still a bit chaotic because I am the company’s first developer. But priorities are set clearly, and based on that I organize my own task list. Most of the day is just one daily meeting and then focused work.

The atmosphere at work is quiet and calm. Most of my colleagues are Japanese, and they usually speak to me in Japanese, but when they see that I am struggling, they switch to English. People do not talk much during the day, though lunch sometimes turns into a small conversation — especially after holidays, when someone might share stories about a trip to another city or even another country.

I enjoy working here. Everyone is understanding, nobody puts pressure on me, and people are very negative about overtime, so they try not to let it happen. Most decisions are expected to be coordinated with management, but I usually keep technical decisions on my side. The main challenge is the language barrier, but daily reports help catch misunderstandings early.

My day usually ends with a few rounds of games. In theory, there is plenty of time for hobbies, but because my Japanese is still not very strong, I also try to spend time studying the language. Overall, work-life balance is definitely possible here — although, of course, a lot depends on the company itself.

 📍Timur, Izumo

Works at our IT company specializing in software development, AI solutions, and digital transformation.

My workday starts at 9 a.m. Going to the office is optional, but I chose to come in regularly. It takes about 15–20 minutes to walk from home, although most of the time a colleague gives me a ride, which makes it about 7 unforgettable minutes.

During the day, I work on project tasks. In a way, projects are partly flexible — I am usually asked first whether I am ready to join a particular one.

Right now, I am working on two projects: an Airbnb-style platform for the Swedish market, and an AI agent for a bank and business solutions in Japan.

Most of my work is frontend, although by now I am probably closer to full-stack. Calls happen fairly often, but they are usually short and to the point. In total, I get around 6–7 hours of actual development time per day.

Inside the company, the atmosphere feels good. I am often one of the only developers in the office, but communication is excellent, and my teammates are very responsive and supportive. Even when I am the only person from my team on a project, I still feel strong backup from management.

My workday officially ends at 6 p.m., although sometimes I stay a bit longer. Still, I have enough time for the gym and my hobbies. And in Japan, hobbies are surprisingly easy to support — whatever you are into, there is usually a store where you can find everything you need.

Working in Japan can look very different from person to person — just like anywhere else, it depends on your company, your projects, your city, and the kind of life you build around work.

🇯🇵 hello, yaponiya! program 🇯🇵
Find an IT job in Japan with language courses and relocation assistance. Joining the program is free. All details are on our website.

Join us ↘️
Telegram
Facebook
LinkedIn